


All My Life

by DeMarcos



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon mental instability, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Flashbacks, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-06 00:56:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11589726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeMarcos/pseuds/DeMarcos
Summary: DG returns to the Other Side to gather up her belongings, before starting her new life in the O.Z. The trip stirs up long-forgotten memories for her and Glitch. With a bit of magic, they begin a journey of rediscovering their past friendship, a journey that lays the foundation for their new relationship.





	1. All My Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an imported and updated version of a story I posted in 2007.

Sneakers thumping softly against the hard earth as she landed, DG took in a deep, centering breath to get her bearings after the wild ride. Tornadoes were definitely _not_ the way to travel. Behind her, she heard three similar thumps and a grunt. She turned to look at her traveling companions with a tiny smile, excited for them to see the strange -to them- land where she grew up. Cain was standing up, back ramrod straight as he scanned the area with an arched eyebrow while Raw helped Glitch onto his ungainly feet. Seeing that Cain was too preoccupied with getting a lay of the land, DG turned on her heel to help Raw get Glitch upright.

With the combined effort of DG, Azkadellia, and a cavalcade of alchemists, Glitch's marbles had finally been set back into his zippered head, but he was still having some troubles getting used to all his synapses firing off in a more normal- _ish_ manner.

But it seemed that since undergoing the procedure, Glitch had developed something akin to split personality disorder. On one side, he was Ambrose, dour but genial with a dry wit that came with years of being a royal adviser. Then there was Glitch, full of humor and endless flights of fancy that DG had grown so accustomed to since her arrival in the O.Z.

He could be mid-sentence as Ambrose and his head would jerk a little to the side before he'd forget where he was or what he had just been doing. Once, right after the surgery, she’d been walking down a hallway with him, the princess planning to take him out for some fresh air, when his knees suddenly gave out from under him and he crumpled to the ground in a heap of loose limbs.

Since then, DG has been by his side constantly, helping him get reacquainted with his brain.

When they had talked to the alchemists, they simply said that going for years without most of his brain, combined with the conditions the witch had kept it in, had had some unforeseen side effects. They reassured everyone that with time, hopefully the personalities would merge somewhat to form a more cohesive mental state, but until then, there would be a lot of growing pains.

DG flashed Glitch a sympathetic glance before waving a hand at all them. "Come on, guys, the house is up this way." She began trudging through the tall grains toward the farmhouse.

After getting things settled in the O.Z., rounding up the rest of the Longcoats and restoring the Tin Man order, DG requested that she be able to return to the Other Side to collect a few personal items before establishing her new life as Princess DG. It was still all so strange to her, the newly bestowed title especially, and she was looking forward to being home, to a bit of normalcy, even if it was just for a short time.

Glitch and Raw jogged up to walk in step with her, Cain purposefully staying a few feet behind them, keeping a sharp eye out on their surroundings. DG turned to face them, walking backwards slowly so as to peer back at the Tin Man.

"You know, I highly doubt that the scarecrow is going to climb down off his post and maim us to death." She pointed to the right, where the old scarecrow was hanging listlessly on his perch, wide brimmed hat covering its brown potato sack face, obviously not doing his job, as a crow was resting on his shoulder.

Glitch craned his head around to see what she was indicating and gasped softly. "How could you put someone up there like that?!" he asked incredulously, changing direction to go help it down off the post.

DG flung her hand out to catch him and securing her fingers around his wrist, she pulled him back with a laugh. "He's not real, Glitch! He's just stuffed with hay and some old newspapers."

Sliding her hand down, she laced their fingers together and led him through the field while he went on and on about how rude it was to just tie people up and cruelly leave them to the crows. Mid-rant, he twigged to the fact that DG was holding his hand, and he flushed red, quickly closing his mouth with an audible snap.

Cain shared a knowing look with Raw as they trailed behind the pair, Glitch and DG remaining oblivious to the silent communication passing between them.

As the farmhouse came into view, DG reached back behind her to grab Raw with her other hand and all but dragged the two of them up the driveway to the porch steps. She stopped suddenly at the front door, apprehension filling her for the first time since asking to return home.

DG had grown up in this house, had wonderful memories, as well as some bittersweet ones, tied to the old place, and this was to be the last time she ever stepped foot here. She looked at the deck chairs set up at the other end of the porch, where her dad would rock her slowly while regaling her with stories about Milltown, her mother sitting opposite of them, listening while she knitted, occasionally interjecting to correct her dad on some fact or another. They’d laugh, bickering playfully on the true course of events of the outlandish tale she was being told, before her dad would ask, lips turned up in a warm smile, _can I tell the story or do you want to do the honors?_

A storm of emotions began to overwhelm her, threatening to make her cry, but DG shook her head clear. In her teens, she had insolently referred to them as her parental units. In hindsight, there was no better definition for them. It was cold to think, but it had the intended effect, stopping the tears from welling up in her eyes.

Seeming to sense her internal conflict, Cain came up behind her to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Be strong, kiddo."

DG tilted her head back, a sad smile twisting her lips up as she nodded. Never one to mince words or waste breath on useless sentiments, she always took what _did_ slip past his lips to heart. Breathing in deeply, she stuck her hand out to grasp the knob and opened the door. DG slowly stepped into the familiar hallway, the ingrained smell of old hardwood flooring, the homemade potpourri her mom made, and a lifetime of a loving _home_ assaulted her senses. It took her a moment to compose herself.

Taking another step in, she saw the place was still a mess from the attack by the Longcoats and they all had to step over the felled bookcases and debris to get into the main room. DG took it all in, damage and all, before turning to her friends.

"You guys can look around real quick if you want while I grab my things. Just try not to break anything, okay? Well... try not to break anything _else_."

Glitch chuckled knowingly as Raw nodded, before directing his attention to the fireplace mantle, where multiple picture frames were adorned atop it, her childhood on display for all the world to see.

DG hasted up the stairs, into the attic, fighting her way through the remains of the oak bureau she’d used to block the doorway, walking away with a few cuts and scrapes as she made her way past it. She took stock of her old room with sorrow in her eyes, at all the clutter and odds and ends that had been her life. Bending down to pick up a stray teddy bear, she clutched it to her chest tightly as she walked around slowly. Sunlight streamed in through the windows brightly, little dust bunnies floating lazily in the beams of light.

DG sat down on the bed, failing to hold back the tears.

Cain whistled appreciatively as he peered at Hank's gun rack through the glass of the large cabinet. Four long shotguns rested on the wooden pegs and he was sure that they were more powerful than any conventional weapon in the O.Z. He contemplated asking DG if he could possibly take one back with him, but was pulled from the temptation when Glitch shrieked, the high pitched noise filling the room.

He turned around sharply, fingers gripping his sidearm as Glitch stumbled backward and fell to the floor, landing gracelessly on his backside. The noise was coming from a black box sitting in the middle of the room.

Images ran across the screen as loud music spilled out from the speakers. A small, scantily clad woman was displayed on the screen, warbling out an off key song while a group of people danced behind her. Raw crept over to the screen and poked at it with a finger. The image didn't scatter at his touch and Glitch managed to pull himself to his feet to look down at the strange box.

"It's some kind of viewing screen." He bent down, listening to the tiny woman for a moment before turning back to Cain and Raw. He knew that the witch had perfected technology like this, but for everyone else, it was more common to have images projecting out at the viewer in a more interactive form.

Glitch squinted at the box as the image shifted from the woman to a large audience in front of her. "This seems to be an entertainment device for the Other Siders."

He pressed another button on the box and the screen suddenly went blank. Now wary of the device, Glitch and Raw moved back toward the fireplace, far away from the strange box. Raw picked up a thin, golden frame in his paws and peered down at the photo inside.

When Glitch leaned over to look at it, Raw tilted it towards him. In it, DG looked to be fifteen annuals and was dressed in a pale blue dress, her long brown hair thrown back in a messy bun, a few stray tendrils framing her face. She was standing next to a rail thin boy wearing thick spectacles in a black tuxedo, his hair standing up in a thousand directions, and they were both surrounded by large cutouts of snowflakes.

A thin smile stretched across her features while the boy next to her just looked shocked to be at her side, a hand placed precariously on her hip, as if at any minute she’d notice the touch and knock his hand away.

Cain stepped up behind them to look at the picture over their shoulders. He let out a sharp laugh and glanced at Raw. "Look familiar?" Cain jerked his head to Glitch, who just appeared confused at what they were talking about.

Raw nodded with a deep guffaw and set the picture back on the mantle. He perused the other pictures while Cain went back to check the rest of the house out.

Glitch's body jolted slightly and in the few lucid moments this gave him, he decided to head up the stairs after DG, to make sure she was all right.

He poked his head in each door on the second floor, searching for DG before he heard the floorboards creak above him. Glitch saw a broken door hanging on its hinges and peered up the staircase. Slowly making his way past the destroyed dresser, he stepped up into the mess of the attic. He spied DG sitting on the window seat, clutching at a stuffed animal as tears spilled down her cheeks.

He silently walked over to her, not wanting to intrude on whatever private moment she was having with her memories of the place, and joined her on the seat. After several long minutes, he looped an arm around her shoulder, letting her know he was there for her if she needed him, but without saying a word, in case she wanted the continued silence of her own thoughts.

They sat like that for a while, neither of them speaking, until DG finally bent her head to rest it against Glitch's chest as she wept. "All my life, I knew that there was more out there in the world than just _this_ and now that I know there is, all I want to do is stay here. Ride my bike and work that dead end job at the diner."

Glitch ran his hand over her back in gentle, soothing circles, trying his hardest to console her. He could feel her tears begin to wet his shirt, but he had no words to help. He cursed his brain for abandoning him at such an important time. He was supposed to be an _adviser_ for goodness sakes and he couldn't even do that when he was needed most.

DG sniffled loudly and burrowed her head further into Glitch's chest.

"Is it wrong that I’m scared of what's going to happen once we get back to the O.Z.? There is _so_ much to do and I've never felt so small or helpless then when I think of what all needs to be done there to fix what happened. It's just too much, too fast."

Without warning, Glitch stood up sharply and DG gasped at the movement as she was rocked back into the window frame. He looked around the attic wildly for a moment and when he saw DG, he frowned.

"I forgot what I was doing." He explained simply. DG grinned through the tears and grasped his hand once more, more than accustomed to the abrupt conversation changes with him.

"Oh, princess!” Glitch exclaimed when he saw her tear-stained cheeks. “Why are you crying? You should be _happy_! You've been reunited with your family after so many annuals, you saved everyone in the O.Z., and your future is so bright, it hurts to look at you." DG arched an eyebrow in confusion at his rambling. "No, it _really_ hurts!" Glitch shut his eyes and DG realized that the sun shining through the windows had shifted its angle and was now beaming directly in his face.

Her laughter filled the room and somewhere deep inside of him, he knew that whatever was wrong in his head wasn't necessarily a bad thing, not if it could keep DG laughing instead of crying. With a thin finger, he wiped the tears off her cheeks and pulled her up off the window seat.

"Come on, your princess-ness! Get your things so we can get back home."

Fresh energy running through her, infused by Glitch’s frenetic nature, she searched around for a bag while Glitch closed the blinds letting the blinding light through. Finally coming across a large military surplus duffle, she began to throw in the bare necessities. Several of her favorite shirts and pants were folded into it, along with her fluffy red slippers, a few trinkets from her limited gentlemen callers, her photo album, and the teddy bear she’d been holding on to.

Three or four more items went in before she zipped it up quickly with a snap of her wrist. She saw Glitch wince a little at the action and her heart sank miserably. The alchemists had told them that if they removed the zipper adorning his cranium, a lot of scalp would have to go with it, leaving a large, ugly scar in its wake. Glitch quickly opted to leave the zipper there and had clutched at his head for a few moments in fear, imagining his life without it.

"Hey, help me pull these drawings down." DG said, to distract him from his thoughts. She found a thin rucksack in the mess of her room and shook it to open it up. There was a stash of rubber bands in her art supplies and DG grabbed a handful, giving some to Glitch so he could secure the drawings with them.

He nodded sharply as he palmed the rubber bands, glad to not be thinking about zippers anymore and went about carefully pulling down the fragile sheets of paper off the slanted walls. Glitch recognized some of her drawings as that of Finaqua and Central City, probably from the dreams she’d told them of having while growing up.

They worked methodically, Glitch carefully rolling them up and banding them before putting them in the rucksack. He plucked one off the wall but before he could roll it up, she stopped him. "Hey, Glitch, check this one out." Turning around, he saw her staring intently at a drawing she’d just taken down.

Curious, he crossed the room to join her and gazed down at the drawing her hands. In it, a little girl sat on a swing as a tall, thin man with dark hair pushed her. The girl had a wide grin on her face as her toes threatened touch the sky. DG pointed a finger at the pair in the drawing, whipping her head around to stare wide-eyed up at him.

"That's you!" She exclaimed.

Glitch raised his eyebrows and squinted at the picture. "I think I remember that." He studied it for a good long while, brow furrowed in thought before he jolted violently. Straightening up to his full height, he shook his head, voice soft with regret. "I tried, but the harder I thought about it, the more it wanted to run away. Sorry..."

DG patted his shoulder gently, understanding etched over her face. "It'll come to you. And when it does, I want to be the first to know."

Glitch grinned at her and flushed brightly at the faith she was placing in his scattered brain power. Returning to the task at hand, they quickly took down the rest of the drawings. DG found her sketchbook while kicking around for anything else important and placed inside the rucksack with the rest of her artwork.

Taking Glitch by the hand when she was satisfied she have everything, DG made to lead him back downstairs when movement outside the window caught her eye. Glitch had only closed the blinds of the two westward facing windows, but out the north facing one, she saw a car coming down the driveway.

"Oh, man, today _so_ isn't my day."

DG thundered down the stairs loudly, bags flying out behind her and Glitch could do nothing but follow in her wake, asking her what was wrong.

Raw blinked up at her thundering entrance into the living room, sensing the dread that was rolling off of her in waves.

"DG scared?" He asked, but DG ignored him, using the post at the end of the railing to slingshot herself down the hallway and into the kitchen in one fluid movement. The waves only intensified, answering the question for him, and Raw looked to Cain. “DG scared.”

Cain pulled his revolver from its holster and glanced out the window for any sign of what had DG riled up. A car unlike anything he had ever seen was rolling up to the house. DG ran past them again, now holding a cream colored jar in her arms. She raced toward the door and stopped abruptly, nearly falling over herself as she turned to her friends, panting slightly from all the running around.

"No matter what happens, I need you to stay inside! No matter what, you hear?" She then bolted out the door before they could answer.

Glitch, Raw, and Cain gathered around the bay windows to see what was going on outside. A well built man with dark hair got out of the car and sauntered slowly up to DG, who had descended the stairs into the yard and was now tapping her foot impatiently against the grass, radiating boredom and aggravation at being bothered, instead of the panic she’d been experiencing thirty seconds prior.

Cain saw the glint of sunlight spark off a star on his chest. A lawman of the Other Side. He really didn't want to know what DG had done to warrant a visit from the law, but he trusted that she could handle the situation herself, with whatever was in the jar she had retrieved before greeting the lawman.

Thankfully, the door had been left standing open and they could just make out his and DG’s conversation, in case they had to disobey her orders to come to her aid.

"Well, well, seems like I _finally_ have a reason to haul you in, DG. You didn't pay your ticket on time, missy." He tsked at her, but seemed more pleased than put out by her inaction.

DG sighed and continued to tap her foot, as if the whole thing were a minor inconvenience. "Sorry, Elmer. Had a family emergency and I had to race out of town. But look." She opened up the jar and pulled out a wad of cash. "I have the money to pay it off right here. So, I'll just give all this to you and we can put this ticket business behind us."

Elmer shook his head and pulled out his handcuffs, waving them around at her. "No dice, DG. You have a warrant out on you now, so I have to bring you in."

DG backed up a step, the calm façade cracking, and she held out the jar as though it were a shield. "See, the thing is, I can't really be arrested right now. That family emergency is still going on and I need to leave town for a while."

A smirk danced across Officer Gulch's face as he took the jar from DG and carelessly tossed it aside. "Attempting to flee custody, eh?" He tsked again, grabbing DG by her elbow, swinging her around to push her up against the hood of his car.

As Elmer patted her down, DG could only thump her head against the car in aggravation. This was not going well at all. When the handcuffs locked around her wrists, DG figured that since she was never coming back to this place, she could thrww caution into the wind.

" _Cain_!"

The words had barely left her lips when the screen door crashed open and the Tin Man came rushing down the porch steps, weapon drawn. Raw and Glitch exited behind him, but wisely stayed back on the porch. Elmer heard him coming and hastily reached for the service pistol on his hip, but Cain cocked the hammer back on his revolver, causing Gulch to pause.

DG gleefully took up the smirk that had fallen off the officer's face. "You might want to unlock these cuffs, Elmer, or he's gonna get trigger happy." Elmer's eyes widened a bit, then very slowly, he pulled the keys from his belt and removed the handcuffs from DG's wrists.

Once she was freed, she bent over to retrieve the jar from the ground. Her parents had kept the stash of money hidden away just for emergencies and this was _definitely_ an emergency. She didn't know how much was actually in the jar, but she wouldn't be needing it anymore anyway.

DG thrust the jar into Gulch's hand. "That's to pay my ticket. Keep the rest for yourself or donate it, I don't really care."

Elmer just stood there with his jaw in the dirt as DG walked over to Cain. Raw and Glitch walked down the stairs and joined their companions. DG patted Cain's shoulder. "Keep an eye on him. I'm going to conjure back the Travel Storm."

Cain simply nodded his head, blue eyes sharp as he kept his pistol trained on the officer. “Nothing personal,” he said to Elmer, tapping his own star clipped to his belt, “just following orders.”

If anything, Elmer’s eyes got even wider, only this time in confusion at what the hell was going on, instead of shock and fear for his life.

Walking about fifty yards away from the house, just to be safe, DG closed her eyes, summoning the magic like Tutor had instructed. She spun her right hand and the wind began to kick up wildly. Hair whipping around her face, she held steady, focusing on forming and shaping the cyclone.

She felt more than she heard the others come up behind her and with a final flick of her wrist, the cyclone formed, turning the sky black and gray. DG reached out her hands and Glitch latched on, giving her fingers a slight squeeze. Raw took the other, Cain grabbing a hold of him and they leapt into the Travel Storm.

In the back of her mind, DG bid her old life a sad goodbye.

 

* * *

 

Later on that night, DG sat out on one of the many stone benches lining the palace gardens, newly planted seedlings pushing desperately out of the soil and upward toward the sky.

Azkadellia had been absolutely adamant about restoring the look and beauty of the O.Z. To atone for the devastation she’d wreaked on the land, she had called in countless gardeners, horticulturists, and growers to plant numerous shrubberies, flowerbeds, fruiting plants to entice the wildlife back, and creeping ivy for the outer perimeter of the palace walls. They’d received word that the papay fields were now lush with saplings, the dirt and grime that once cluttered the fields all but gone, much to Azkadellia’s delight.

Surrounded by the sweet scent of budding flora, DG laid out the numerous scrolls of her artwork around her, three in particular occupying her attention. One was the drawing of Glitch pushing DG's younger self on the swing. The others were Glitch presenting DG and Azkadellia with two bouquets of flowers, and of Glitch carrying DG on his shoulders. In all three of them, there was this expression of total devotion on Glitch's face as she smiled and laughed at him.

DG had learned that in his duties to the royal family, Glitch had been a fixture in her life before she had been sent away, but these pictures were telling her that he had been much more than that, a dear friend while he’d served as advisor to her mother. It made her heart clench tightly in her chest. In Kansas, she’d never really had a lot of close friends. She’d not been unpopular or unkind to anyone, but she had always radiated that sense of otherness. Her parents had called it being an odd duck, she called it not always getting invited to birthday parties or sleepovers. Even at the diner, her coworkers had been friendly and helpful, but had still kept their distance when it came to their personal lives.

But displayed in her drawings was Glitch, who had apparently been her next closest friend, aside from her sister. Yet even after many years apart and his brain being removed, somehow that sense of closeness and camaraderie had remained through the personality shift.

Looking back now, she recalled how easy it had been befriending Glitch, once they had escaped from the ankle-biting Eastern Guild. There had been none of that early uncomfortable feeling she usually got when meeting someone new. It had just flowed seamlessly between them, as simple as breathing.

Then again, the desire to keep breathing in the face of a squealing death had been why they’d banded together so readily. But even after their escape, there had been no awkwardness, and in hindsight, it was exactly as it seemed, even if neither of them realized it at the time, two friends reuniting after many years apart.

 _Maybe that's why I never really had a best friend growing up,_ _she mused to herself. The position had already been filled, it just took this long to be reminded._

Picking up her sketchbook, DG began to flip through the pages slowly when she heard steps behind her.

"Good evening, princess."

Grinning at the even-toned, polite greeting, DG quickly made some room on the bench, rolling up the drawings to place them back into the rucksack for safe keeping. "Evening, Ambrose. What are you doing out here?"

Taking a seat beside her, Ambrose tapped a finger to his chin in contemplation. "I seem to vaguely recall consoling you earlier, though for the life of me, I cannot remember why. I just wanted to make sure you are doing all right."

Lowering his hand to rest it on his leg, DG reached out, placing hers fingers over his pale ones. “Not really,” she answered softly, “but I'm feeling better, thanks to you."

Ambrose smiled at the contact, pleased to know he’d been of some help to her. He then nodded his head, motioning to the drawings DG had tucked away at his arrival. "I also recall seeing a drawing of me. Might I have a look?"

DG pursed her lips, debating for a moment whether or not it’d be okay to give him such an intimate glimpse into his past, given his delicate mental state, but Glitch had seemed all right before, though he couldn’t remember anything about them. Maybe Ambrose would have better luck. Making up her mind, she reached down to retrieve the bag. Pulling the three pieces out, DG rolled the first one over their laps. He inhaled sharply, as though the blast from the past had been a physical blow, and pointed to the one of him handing the little princesses flowers.

"I remember that. You and Azkadellia had seen a woman from the court receiving flowers from a suitor, and were extremely jealous that no one had ever given either of you a bouquet. So I went down to the gardens and tried to make the most beautiful combinations of flowers for the two most beautiful princesses. Azkadellia knew what I was doing but accepted them graciously, since you were still young enough to be excited about it."

Ambrose tilted his head away from DG, gazing up at the stars as he got lost in a long ago memory. DG stared over at him, a wide smile spreading across her face, not used to seeing him so still and reflective. When he turned back, he saw her expression and his cheeks flushed a peculiar shade of pink. She pulled that drawing away, and unfurled the one of DG on his shoulders. Ambrose nodded his head, tapping at the paper.

"Oh, yes. Your father was teaching Azkadellia horseback riding but your mother had said that you were too young to learn. You were crying your little heart out as they rode away, the Queen trying to console you, with no luck. I happened across you both and she looked to me for help. That’s when I picked you up, threw you on my back, and took you everywhere you wanted to go. When your father and sister returned, you boasted that your steed was better than any in the land."

DG burst out laughing at this, never knowing she had been so precocious. Seeming to read her thoughts, Ambrose continued. "You were such a little crystal droplet of effulgence and wit. Your parents always had quite the time keeping up with you." He quieted for a moment, his shoulders jerking slightly. DG watched silently as he took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before looking back at her.

"Sorry. Still trying to keep up a thin veneer of formality, though I seem to be losing the battle against it."

Ambrose pulled the final sheaf of paper toward him, revealing the drawing of her on the swing. He stared intently down at it, as he had done in her attic earlier, and she saw him twitch again. DG knew he was fighting to recall the memory that had eluded him, but had no clue as to why this one was taunting him so. DG leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as she looped an arm around him, in an attempt to lend him some of her strength. She felt the twitching subside, though her hold on him didn’t soothe his tattered thoughts.

"This, uhm, this was... right before the witch took over Azkadellia. Your mother was meeting with some important dignitaries. Tutor was with your sister, and your father..." He paused, trying to grasp at the ethereal vapors of the memory. "I think he was in Central City, but I can't remember why he’d gone there.” Ambrose shook his head. “Anyway, you were out on the swing and your feet couldn't touch the ground, so you weren't able to propel the swing forward. I... ah, was trying to capture the attentions of someone. Her name escapes me, a palace seamstress, perchance. But she had turned away my advances quite loudly and rudely.

"We happened to be near you while we spoke, and when she walked off, you called out to me. I came over, and that’s when you took my hand, stamping your little slippered foot down as you told me that the mean lady didn't deserve me anyway."

DG chuckled wryly against his shoulder, tilting her head down at the faces on the paper, unable to believe the tenacity of her younger self. Ambrose began to tap his shoe against the leg of the bench, struggling to remember what had happened after that.

"You said she didn't deserve me anyway... and then you asked me to push you in the swing. Of course I could never deny you anything, so I obliged. You were quiet for some time, then offered to get Azkadellia to help you put newts in her bed and in her hair. I stopped when you said that, absolutely floored that you would say such a thing, and the swing came back down, knocking me clean over. I fell backward and you nearly tripped over yourself getting off the swing. You knelt down beside me, asking if I was okay and all I could do is peer up at you, wondering why you would do something like that to the woman. You just smirked coyly when I asked you why, then said that you loved me and would do anything to protect me."

DG sat up, turning to gaze into Ambrose's eyes. "I said that?" He nodded solemnly at the question. She tried to find the memory in her own mind, and when she was unsuccessful, she shook her head. "Well, it's true, you know. You guys are all my closest friends. I don’t know what I would do, what would happen, if I lost any of you." DG leaned in closer, cupping Ambrose’s cheeks in her hands to place a light kiss to the corner of his lips.

Like a bolt of lightening, images began to pour into her mind at an alarming rate, overwhelming her as the real world was bleached away, leaving nothing but her memories.

A younger version of herself seated in Ambrose’s lap, twirling a strand of his neatly coiffed hair in her tiny fingers as he read a story to her. Dance lessons that left his toes thoroughly stepped on, but satisfaction and pride bursting through him when she learned all the moves perfectly. Beyond the scope of her visions, reality pressed in on the periphery, and she could see her palms glowing brightly at the connected points of their flesh.

Unique toys presented to her for no other reason than to see her smile. Picking apples from an orchard together, an impromptu contest to see who could gather the most. A kiss pressed to her cheek when stories flooded the palace about a seamstress waking up screaming, slippery newts and salamanders covering her face.

DG tried to force herself out of Ambrose's mind, the deluge of images far too much for her, not when the use of her magic was still very much trial and error, but the visions drew her in further, despite her protestations.

She saw Ambrose approach her mother, informing her of Azkadellia's complete takeover of the O.Z. He questioned about the Queen’s power, if there was anything to stop the chaos approaching. The Queen shook her head, telling him she had given up her power to save another. _My angel_. Realization hit him like a violent punch to the gut, her words confirming that her youngest daughter was still alive and well. Hope sprang up in his heart, drowning out the sorrow that had filled it with her death, but the sudden appearance of Azkadellia distracted him from reveling in the happy news.

The feeling of familiarity overwhelmed her as she saw them running away from the Eastern Guild. DG was awash in his emotions, feeling what he felt when they’d first met, sensed something about the strange girl who reminded him of someone lost to him long ago. She felt the aching enchantment he felt toward the girl who was so fearlessly attempting to bring down the evil sorceress who had been the bane of his miserable, disjointed existence. She felt the dread of losing something recently found once more, something he believed he’d never find again, when they’d been separated in the Northern Islands. DG experienced his utmost pride in the young woman who had ended years of tyranny and destruction in the O.Z.

His friend. Someone he cared for deeply, with every fiber of his being and beat of his heart.

With a shout, DG was unexpectedly flung back off the stone bench. Toppling to the ground, she landed on her rump, groaning at the burst of pain that lanced up her spine. She raised a hand to her mouth, awestruck at what had just passed between them.

An instant later, Cain came darting around the hedges, two men from the palace security detail hot on his heels. Peering wide-eyed up at the lot of them, it dawned on DG just how bad the scene before them must have looked. She had fallen back a few feet from Ambrose, her legs drawn up to her chest, hand covering her face, while Ambrose stayed seated on the bench, wearing an expression of confusion and shame.

Cain narrowed his eyes, heated gaze sliding from DG to Ambrose as he cautiously walked over to her, reaching out to lift her up off the ground. When she got her feet underneath her, Cain placed himself between her and Ambrose. As if feeling the unkind intent boring into his skull, Ambrose jolted bodily, and then glanced up to see DG and Cain staring at him.

"Hi! Lovely night for a stroll, don't you think?" Glitch blinked at the resounding silence that answered him, his mouth forming a breathless _O_. "It happened again, didn't it?" When they nodded in acknowledgement, Glitch smacked his forehead with his palm.

Cain turned to DG as Glitch chastised himself. "Everything okay here with the Zipperhead?"

DG glared sourly at Cain’s usage of his nickname for Glitch. "Yes, its fine. Just, something weird happened. We were, uh..." DG saw an expression dance cross the hard planes of Cain's features as she tried to explain what had happened. Blushing red, she cleared her throat. "I was in his memories, Ambrose's memories. It was so odd." She placed a hand on her hip, trying to radiant nonchalance. "Now I know what Raw feels like when he reads somebody. When I tried to get out, I guess I got thrown back."

Cain craned his head back to stare at Glitch suspiciously, attempting to suss out any deception. When he found nothing, he tipped his hat at the two of them. “Just be careful.” He said cryptically, motioning for the other men to follow him as he walked away, leaving the two of them alone once more.

Hearing their footsteps fade away, DG rushed over to Glitch, kneeling down in front of him. His whole body was shaking, but before she could begin to worry that something was wrong, she discovered that it was because he was laughing. Glitch tipped his head back, but instead of the hearty chuckle of Glitch, she recognized the subdued tones of Ambrose.

DG righted herself indignantly, pointing a stern finger at him. "You tricked him into thinking you were Glitch!" She was dumbstruck at the turn of events, though incredibly impressed with his quick thinking.

Ambrose stood up from the stone bench and wrapped his arms around DG. "I thought I had forgotten it all, everything I’d come to know and love about the Light of the O.Z."

DG peered up at him, transfixed as tears began to form in the corners of his eyes, muted beams of moonlight glinting off them. "You always had me tightly wrapped around your little finger, and when I thought that you were dead, part of me was forever shattered. I wanted so desperately to erase the light you had shone onto me, because the memory of it only made it hurt worse when you were gone."

Ambrose brought DG in for another kiss, a real one this time, pouring every lost emotion into it. After a moment, he pulled back a bit, resting their forwards together. His fingers slipped into the soft tendrils of DG’s hair, and he gazed into her eyes, looking for all the world as though he’d found something he hadn’t even known he’d lost. And he had.

"I think I may have always loved you." He whispered, still trying to reconcile in his battered brain the tender affections he’d had for a beloved young princess with the outpouring of new affections he felt for the fierce, headstrong, beautiful woman she’d become.

Tears flowed freely down both their cheeks at the enormity of their situation, their past, their overwhelming present, and the future that lay ahead.

"I think I did, too."


	2. Umbrella

The next morning, DG woke up grinning, the memories of the previous night fresh in the forefront of her mind. As she blinked lazily at the double rays of sunlight peeked in through the large balcony doors, DG remembered there were important matters to be taken care of. Pushing away the enticing warmth of the covers, she crawled out of the large feather bed and padded over to the large wooden wardrobe, throwing the doors open wide.

Today was the day that she was supposed to travel out to the Eastern Guild with Azkadellia, to offer them assistance in rebuilding their village. Picking out clothes and boots appropriate for stomping around in the woods for the better part of the day, DG shuffled into her slacks and a tee.

Hopping around the room on one foot as she put her boots on, DG noticed something sitting on the large desk that stood on the opposite wall, something that hadn’t been there the night before. Finally getting her foot shoved into the boot, she crossed the room to admire the bulgar novi, a bouquet of papay blossoms nestled in a crystal vase. There was no note with the blossoms, but DG had a good idea who had gifted them to her.

Fully dressed, her messy bed head thrown into an even messier bun, she exited the bedroom and made her way down the large winding staircase to the main hallway. The closer to the foyer of the main entrance hall of the castle, the more she could hear voices and DG silently cursed at herself for waking up so late.

Taking the steps three at a time, feet hitting the landing with a thump, DG started jogging across the hallway, but came up short when she spotted a figure out of the corner of her eye. Glitch was leaning casually against the wall, standing under a large painting of Finaqua, obviously waiting for her to make her grand entrance. She could tell it was Glitch by the tiny, almost vacant smile he wore, as though he weren’t really happy, just grinning for the sake of grinning.

Despite her stomping about, he apparently hadn’t heard her coming, his posture remaining relaxed and calm, or as calm as Glitch could be at any given moment. Crossing the distance silently, she snuck up carefully into his blind spot and gently placed her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who."

Glitch paused for a moment, contemplating the answer before she heard a small, subdued laugh. "The most beautiful woman in all the land."

DG let her hands fall away as Ambrose, in fact, turned to look at her. Blushing at the sentiment, she tilted her head away, never really good at responding to people’s compliments about her looks or talents, though she was quite good at deflecting before she became embarrassed.

"I dunno... I think my mother may have that title already."

Ambrose raised a finger to DG's cheek to lightly caress her skin. "Your mother had that title until the day she gave birth to you, DG. When Azkadellia was born, while she was no less beautiful, she was revered as the heir to the throne of the O.Z. When you were born, however, no one could stop talking about how bright and clear your eyes were, bluer than the waters of lakes of Finaqua. They rivaled even those of the Queen Mother."

Stunned into silence by those endearing words, DG was once again left without anything to say in response. Clearing her throat, she turned away from the intense gaze. "Thank you for the flowers, by the way," was all that immediately came to mind. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

"Ah, but just because I don't doesn't mean I shouldn't." DG saw him pause to contemplate the triple negatives in the sentence, a hint of Glitch shining out through his eyes, before Ambrose seemed satisfied with the structure of his statement. It had only taken a small amount of monetary convincing to get one of the maids to place the flowers in her room, too afraid of being caught in another compromising position to do it himself, but seeing how pleased she was with the painstakingly crafted bouquet was well worth the coin that had passed hands. “Yes, that’s what I meant,” he said finally, moving his hand to brush away a stray strand of DG’s hair.

She opened her mouth to reply before she heard the voices of her family filter in from outside. Grabbing hold of Ambrose's hand, DG dragged him down into the main hallway. "You should come with us today out to the Eastern Guild. It’d be nice for you to get out of this place more often."

DG felt Ambrose pull away from her and when she turned around, Glitch returned her gaze, waving his arms wildly in front of him as he shook his head. "Oh no, doll. No way I'm dealing with those little mongrels again. No way, no how, nu-uh. Once was perfectly enough for me."

Huffing, she rolled her eyes at his vehemence to stay as far away from the Guild as she could. "Come on, it will be fun! The two of us, out on another exciting adventure..." DG grinned mischievously at him, trying to cajole him into tagging along.

When Glitch still refused, she decided to turn on those feminine wiles her mother had told her about when she came home crying one day, after being turned down by a boy she'd asked to their middle school graduation dance. Sauntering over to Glitch, she placed her palm over his heart, standing up on her tiptoes so she could press her lips to his ear.

"Please? For me?"

Smirking to herself when she felt him shiver and jolt beneath her, DG pulled back to peer up at him sweetly, batting her eyelashes a little. He sighed, still enjoying the ghostly feel of her breath on the side of his face, and ran a hand over his zippered head. Nodding resignedly, he stuck out his elbow for DG to take.

She threaded her arm around the proffered limb and led him out into the crisp morning air.

 

* * *

 

Azkadellia flinched backwards as three guild members pointed their tiny spears at her menacingly, looking imploringly back at her younger sister, silently begging for some assistance. DG had to throw a hand out to stop Cain from jumping in and waving his revolver in their angry little faces. Confusion crossed his features as DG pulled him back from the fray.

"This is part of the deal. They get to poke and prod her for a little bit before they insult her for a several minutes. After that, we can negotiate with them." Seeing the confusion lingering on his disbelieving face, DG continued on. "Apparently it's a ritual they have to observe when they meet to make peace with their enemies. Something about showing off their superiority to those they see as weak, belittling them and their lineage before deciding their worthy enough to deal with them. Seems to me like they're just overcompensating for something. Like insecure men with their penis cars." DG shook her head in dismay at the thought, not seeing both Cain and Ambrose nearly snap their necks with the speed in which they turned to stare at her in shock.

"I can't believe I'm going to ask this, but... penis car?" Cain managed not to stumble over the words, as he’d been taught to always be respectful around a lady, much less royalty, but then again, they’d been her words, not his, and while DG was very much a royal lady, she was an altogether different breed. It was one of the reasons he cared for her so much.

DG snorted indelicately, as if to punctuate his point, and flicked her gaze up to the sky, sarcastically seeking out some sort of divine help for her situation. When none came, she brought he gaze back down to earth.

While the guild members took turns throwing clumps of dirt at Azkadellia's backside, DG tried to think of a polite way to explain herself. "On the Other Side, guys who lack the certain, uhm," DG motioned with her hand suggestively, "... _equipment_ , will get big flashy cars to impress women and make up for what they're missing. The cars are usually really sleek, shiny, fast, and have two seats. So naturally..."

Cain held up his hands to stop her before she could explain any further and cursed whatever deity would listen for letting DG be the one who rescued him from his tin prison. He could still be in there right now, free from the mental image DG had just painted for them. Ambrose gently chastised her for being so vulgar, but she responded by smacking his arm playfully, giggling at their prudishness.

After the ankle biters had their fun with Azkadellia for about another half hour, satisfied that she was thoroughly besmirched, they were eventually led deeper into their village, to where they were to discuss the rebuilding efforts with all the guild members.

DG and Ambrose lagged behind the procession, meandering slowly through the beautiful forest, taking it all in fully this time, since they were in no rush. It began to drizzle lightly, the sky darkening a little as the clouds rolled in, and they moved under the canopy the trees provided to keep from getting too wet. As they passed through a large open section, DG glanced up, spying a few cages similar to the one she'd been locked in after crash landing in the O.Z.

She pointed a finger up at it, drawing Ambrose's attention to the cages. "Bring back any memories?" She asked jokingly.

Ambrose shrugged his shoulders, still not too keen on the idea of being back in Guild territory, and DG reached out to thread their fingers together, in effort to cheer him up a bit. They stopped to peer up at the contraption, thinking back to the day they’d met.

When Cain passed by them, indicating they should be with the rest of the group, she told him it was all right, that they'd catch up. DG then looked back up at the wooden prison, Ambrose mirroring her posture.

"You were pretty rude when we first met, you know. Told me I wasn't so hot on first glance." She grinned slyly, to let him know she was just teasing.

Ambrose shifted his stance anyway, fingers tightening around DG’s. "Well, I think I was just being a tad bit defensive. At that point, you were still a stranger to me and you weren't all that polite yourself."

DG pursed her lips in thought. "True... but you were still looking out for me, even then. When the Longcoats showed up, you weren't really happy with me slipping out of that thing. Thought it was too dangerous for a girl like me?" She batted her eyelashes girlishly, affecting a ditzy personality.

Ambrose fought the smile playing on his lips at her display, hearing the teasing tone in her voice, but not wanting her to see how amusing he found it. "I simply didn't want you to fall. It would have been so messy, and I don't think I could have handled your inevitable splat, what with my fragile state of mind."

It started to rain down on them properly, but DG paid it no mind, thinking back to that fateful encounter. "You were calling out to me to be careful and..." She froze and jerked her head around to look up at Ambrose. "You knew my name!"

Ambrose tipped his head in confusion at such an obvious statement. "Of course I know you're name. You're DG, princess of the O.Z."

DG shook her head at him, a few strands of hair falling out of place, spilling into her eyes. "No, _no_. When we first met up there, you introduced yourself after I pointed out that your zipper was down. But I never told you my name. Yet you called it out when I was swinging out the bottom of that thing. You remembered me even after you hadn't seen me in years!"

Staring into Ambrose's dark eyes, DG watched as he tried to recall that moment. After a moment, he gave up, unable to sift through all the damage to his marbles. Not so easily dissuaded, DG got an idea.

Squeezing her eyes shut and focusing hard on the memory, she cradled Ambrose's face in her hands, bringing their lips together.

In a flash, their first meeting played out between them. Glitch hanging from the ceiling of the cage, unadulterated loathing in his eyes as he saw the munchkins accusing the weird new girl of being a spy. Those eyes, somehow so familiar, staring right through him as she took measure of him. Rude words and rushed pleasantries exchanged. Fear building up inside as the Longcoats approached. A blinding flash of light followed by him yelling at DG to be careful.

Behind them, someone cleared their throat loudly and DG swiftly yanked them both out of the memory. Spinning around, she thought she was going to die of embarrassment when they spotted Cain standing a few yards away, head slightly tilted in another direction, as if trying to ignore what he’d just witnessed.

Ambrose quickly stepped back from DG, putting some distance between them, desperately wishing he could take a page from the evil witch's book and melt into the dirt.

Mumbling something neither she nor they could understand, more nonsense than actual words, DG’s face burned red as she made good on her escape, rushing down the wooded path after her sister.

Once DG was out of earshot, Cain glanced around to make sure they were alone, and then turned his piercing blue gaze on the adviser.

"It's not what it looked like...” Ambrose said with panic in his voice. “Well, _yeah_ , it _was_ , but _she_ initiated it." He stabbed a shaking finger in the direction DG had run off in.

Cain continued to stare at him silently, face set in a hard grimace.

"I mean, it's not like I wasn't returning the affection, we're _both_ to blame. But I would _never_..."

Cain continued to stare at him.

"Okay, I think I kind of did last night, but there was a very intense moment and lots of old emotions."

Cain continued to stare at him.

"It's not as if we are doing anything _wrong_."

Cain continued to stare at him.

"Oh gods, please don't kill me!"

Once Glitch finally emerged under the threat of bodily harm, Cain crossed the few feet between them, but instead of harming him, he threw an arm over Glitch’s shoulder. "Now I knew that I couldn't scare Ambrose too much, but _you_ on the other hand..." Cain's hold became painful as he started to lead them after the princess.

"I don't know _what_ I walked in on last night, but I _do_ know that something happened. Whatever it was, DG didn't seem too upset, so I let it go. We’ve been through a lot together, Zipperhead. You’re an intelligent guy, when you put that fractured brain of yours to use, and you’re handy in a tight spot. Maybe I poke fun a bit too much, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider you a friend. _But_."

Somehow, Cain got even closer, personal space ceasing to exist, and Glitch thought the Tin Man was going to break his collarbone.

"If you so much as _think_ about hurting that kid or break her heart, intentionally or not, I'm going to break your face. And then you'll find _other_ parts of you broken, once I get done doing that." The hand on his shoulder pinched sharply into muscle, causing Glitch to squeak in pain. "Do you understand?"

Glitch nodded emphatically, and not just because he’d say anything to free himself from the Tin Man’s clutches. Satisfied with his answer, Cain released his grip. Glitch stumbled backward, spinning in a sharp circle, as if to make sure that Cain was completely off and wasn't going to latch onto him again.

Cain straightened himself out, smoothing down a few stray wrinkles in his coat, then locked eyes with Glitch, the corner of his mouth lifting up into a small grin. "That being said and done, good luck. I'm real happy for you both."

After a dazzling light show from the two princesses, the forest home of the Eastern Guild was restored to its striking beauty once more. Trees that had been felled now stood proud once more and the guild members shouted out raucously in joy at the restoration. Promising that the next time Azkadellia returned, the taunting would be lessened, the group said their goodbyes and headed back out of the forest to the palace.

Ambrose made sure to give the Tin Man a wide berth and DG could plainly see, by reading the two men's body language, that Cain had said something to him after she’d run off. Not sure whether to berate Cain for threatening the poor man or feel heartened by the fact that he’d felt the need to be -unnecessarily- protective of her, she decided to split the difference.

Stepping between them, she looped an arm around Cain’s, then steered him toward Ambrose, so she could take his arm with her other hand. With Ambrose on her left and Cain on her right, she grinned at the Tin Man, before elbowing his side none too gently. She then grinned wickedly, offering a wink to Ambrose.

The rest of the way back to the palace, DG managed to get them, as well as Azkadellia, laughing as she told them how badly she wanted to roast the little turkeys for making fun of her big sister. The suns began to set behind them, setting the land aglow, casting a brilliant radiance through the light rain, rainbows piercing through the sky. It seemed the perfect end to a somewhat perfect day.

Once home, their parents greeted them all, hugging their daughters, anxiously asking them how the negotiations went. Glossing over the name calling and dirt throwing. Azkadellia told them it had gone well, and that the guild was overjoyed to have the Queen ruling over the O.Z. once more.

Elbowing Azkadellia discreetly when she referred to them as overgrown chickens, DG said that the guild would be sending word to the others that there would be efforts to restore the remaining territories. Informing them that a grand dinner was being prepared for their success, as they’d had the utmost faith in their children, they told them both to go clean up and get changed before the meal was served.

Before heading up to her room, DG pulled Ambrose into a quiet corner of the palace, where they wouldn't be disturbed. She smiled at him, eyes shining with astonishment. "I _still_ can't believe that you remembered me after all that time. That even after everything you suffered, some part of you was able to recognize me."

Ambrose pulled DG into a gentle embrace, resting his chin atop the crown of her head, running his fingers through her long, dark hair. DG sighed at the contact and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"It was your eyes, dearheart. I could never forget those peepers, not really. They followed me everywhere I went when you were a child, haunting my footsteps, as it were. I had always feared for your safety when you got older and came into your magic. You had such a knack for trouble and I made sure I was whenever I could, to make sure neither you or Azkadellia never got hurt. I guess when you tried to escape, that old fear came back, jogging my memory, if only slightly."

DG burrowed deeper into his hold, her hands settling on his lower back. "Forever my guardian, it seems." She paused, contemplating. "I just wonder what that flash of light was." She felt his chest vibrate with a hum as he pondered the strange glow.

"I don't know princess, but whatever it was, it's what let me remember. Remember your name, if not that we’d been friends so long ago. That you were someone I had to protect and care for, always."

Leaning back, DG pulled Ambrose down for a tender kiss. Lips parting, DG invited Ambrose in, her body arching into his, the only memory shared between them the one they were making at that moment.

" _Forever_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite many rewatches of this series over the years, nowhere in the first scene does DG introduce herself to Glitch. I watched it like four times and once with the captions on just to be certain. A blooper I have used to my advantage.


	3. I Wanna Know

Ambrose paced around his room, chin tucked to his chest, hands clasped anxiously behind his back. It had been three weeks since his trip with DG to the Eastern Guild and since then, at least for one hour a day, he and the princess had been going through his buried memories. Not that he was complaining about it, really. The sessions had afforded him some very intimate moments with DG, the feel of her skin on his as they kissed was amazing, becoming even closer as the images were shared between them, while he dared to explore the rest of DG's body.

That had not been what was causing him so much distress, and in fact, he got quite a lot of pleasure from basking in DG's attentions. No, something was missing and Ambrose couldn't seem to puzzle out the mystery. He’d been unable to sleep for days, beating himself up in trying to figure out why he felt like he was being left out on something very important.

The late nights had started to take their toll and earlier, Glitch had been discovered by Azkadellia, asking an old oil painting of DG -commissioned by her mother when the princess had been much younger- why she was being so cruel to him. The painting, much to his dismay, had refused to answer him back.

Azkadellia had carefully escorted Glitch back to his room, listening to him intently as he rambled on and on about her sister being a wily temptress bent on destroying his already fragile sanity. She had laughed breathily in surprise, arching a brow at the new information about DG’s inclinations toward him.

At first, Glitch had thought she was mocking him, but she’d been truly unaware of the nature of their relationship and hadn’t been laughing at him, but rather herself, for not seeing it sooner. Safely depositing him in his room, Az squeezed his shoulder gently and wished him luck with the handful that was her baby sister, before bidding him a good night.

He’d appreciated the sentiment, even though it didn’t help him in his quandary, and that had been how he found himself now, pacing like a madman, trying to solve the intricate puzzle that was DG. The stress and lack of sleep began pressing in on him from all sides, and he swore he could see the beat of his heart pulsing from out of the corners of his eyes.  

Body moving independently from his mind, Ambrose collapsed on his bed, mere seconds before passing out from exhaustion, the question following him down into unconsciousness, haunting his broken dreams.

Birdsong roused him a few hours later, and Ambrose shifted from his side to blink groggily out the window. The double suns had just begun their journey across the sky, heralding the start of a new and glorious day. Grumbling as he wiped the sand from his eyes, Ambrose stood up slowly, stretching out the kinks from falling asleep on his shoulder.

Glancing down at his wrinkled clothing, Ambrose cursed silently for letting it get so bad that he’d slept in his clothes and quickly shucked out of the old garments. Leaving a trail behind him as he made his way to the enormous wardrobe, he dug out a fresh pair of slacks and a shirt.

Leaving the jacket open, well aware of how much DG appreciated how the crisp white shirt contrasted with the deep reds of his outfit and his pale complexion, he exited his room quickly, following his nose down to the spacious breakfast nook tucked in the back the palace, giving the room a gorgeous view of the shimmering lake.

Bowing to the royal family when he arrived, Ambrose apologized to them for his lateness as he took his seat. He eyed DG and Azkadellia, who were deep in conversation, their heads bent low and together, the unintelligible murmur of their whispers ceasing when Ambrose moved to sit next to DG. Azkadellia elbow her sister suggestively, a grin on her face.

Ignoring them, he tucked into his meal as the Queen enquired as to what her children had planned for the day, aside from behaving like gossiping young girls.

As a way of showing the people of the O.Z. that she had changed, Azkadellia had been volunteering a lot of her time to various causes whenever she could, assuming whoever she was offering to help weren’t still deathly afraid of her. She said that she would be traveling to Central City after breakfast to assist the medicos in an infirmary for ill children.

The discussion progressed after that, Az excited about the work, but visibly nervous about being around children who had grown up fearing her name, but Ambrose chose to focus on his breakfast instead offering his advice on the matter. It was only Azkadellia asking DG if she wanted to travel with her that caught his attention.

Or rather, it was DG snorting into her milk, causing her to cough violently when the liquid attempted to rush into her lungs. Raising her hand into the air to help her clear her pipes, she coughed and spluttered, her quickly reddening eyes darting to Az with an accusatory look.

Once the fit was over, DG turned to her sister. "Uh, no. I think I'm good. I once volunteered at a hospital when I was in high school and somehow I managed to get thrown up on seven times. For the rest of my sophomore year, I was known as _Hurl Girl_ at school. Since then, I've always been paranoid around sick people."

Azkadellia and her parents laughed, Az patting DG's hand to tell her it was okay if she didn't want to come, since no one would hold it against her. It wasn’t her reputation, after all, that needed to be bolstered.

Ambrose twirled the story around in his head for a moment before that last tantalizing piece of the puzzle finally fell into place. The picture now whole, Ambrose pounded his fist down on the table in celebration, causing his spoon to go flying in the air, landing in Ahamo's porridge bowl with a clatter.

" _I got it_!"

The moment of victory was quickly lost as he looked around the table at four sets of wide eyes. Ahamo wiped away the flecks of his porridge that had splattered on his cheeks with a napkin. Ambrose ducked his head guiltily, mumbling an apology. Excusing himself from the family, cheeks flushing with embarrassment, he hurried out of the room. As he hurried down the main hallway, he chided himself on being such a buffoon, but inwardly grinned to himself for figuring out what had been bothering him so.

Now all he had to do was ponder the logistics of how he’d go about bringing this up to DG.

 

* * *

 

That evening, after much hemming and hawing, Ambrose stood outside DG's bedroom door, flexing his hands into fists as he mentally went over the practiced words he was going to say. He didn't think that she would disapprove, per se, but when it came to a woman's privacy, one had to be extremely delicate, a fact he’d learned quickly in working for the monarchy that had ruled the O.Z. for ages.

Sucking in a deep breath, he raised his sweating hand to knock softly on the heavy oaken door.

"Come in."

The invitation was muffled, by more than just the door, and when Ambrose entered the room, he found DG standing out on the balcony, admiring the view as the stars began to peek out from behind the clouds, the last rays of the setting suns casting startling shades of orange and red on the horizon.

Enraptured by the view, he crossed the room in several slow strides, coming up from behind DG to wrap his arms around her waist. She leaned back into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly at the close contact. Ambrose kissed the crown of her head and together, they stood in silence as the fading pinks and purples of the evening sky were replaced by the inky black twilight. Distant stars began twinkling and Ambrose had to resist the urge to start pointing out constellations.

After a while spent stargazing, DG eventually turned around in Ambrose’s arms, gaze up at him with her crystal blue eyes. Ambrose felt his resolve threaten to melt under the scrutiny.

"So... this morning. What was with that little display of yours?" She asked, the curiosity nearly killing her. Ambrose had disappeared after breakfast and no one had seen hide nor hair of him, until she’d heard him knocking on her door.

Dropping his arms, Ambrose took a step back, off the balcony back into the room, DG following after him. He began pacing the floor, features marred with whatever internal battle was going on inside his head. DG simply sat down on her bed to watch and wait for him, knowing that eventually, he’d tell her what was going on. Like with all things involving Ambrose and Glitch, dealing with them took time and a fair amount of patience.

It took some time for him to gather his nerve, having gotten distracted by being close to DG, but he found his courage once more, spinning on his heel to peer down at DG. "An odd thing had been bothering me for weeks about you.”

Sitting up on the bed, mind having drifted for a moment, DG have Ambrose her full attention. “And what’s that?”

“For the longest time, I couldn't figure out what it was that had been irking me so. It burrowed into my skull and tormented me, refusing to leave me along until I solved it. Then today, at breakfast, it hit me."

Ambrose bent down on a knee in front of DG, taking her hands in his reverently. Not exactly heartened by his speech, DG fed off the nervous energy in the air, steeling herself for something awful.

"I would like to see your memories.” He said quietly.

Wrinkling her nose in bewilderment, DG gawked down at him. Sensing that she was not going to respond positively, he continued on, thinking he could logic his way out of her getting mad at him for suggesting such a thing.

"Well, it’s just that you have seen so much of my past and I thought that it would only be fair for me to see some of yours. There is nothing I want more than to know about all those annuals you spent on the Other Side, who your friends were, what your parents were like... which boys were stupid enough to break your heart. An even trade, as it were."

DG slipped a hand out from under Ambrose's and scratched at her head, thinking about what allowing him to see her memories would do. She hadn't really been the shining beacon of decency and charity. In her teens, with her hormones raging and not content with her place in the world, she had been something of a wild child. Nothing seriously illegal or dangerous, but potentially embarrassing, and she thought that what Ambrose might see that would make him come to view her in a different light.

She bit her lip, deliberately averting her gaze as she internally debated the pros and cons. Glitch would definitely get a kick out of some of her childhood antics, but Ambrose was more likely to pull away from her once he saw her past. Craning her head around to peer into his eyes, she saw his need to know what the youngest princess had done in her time on the Other Side, to know her the way she knew him, to not have their relationship be so one sided when it came to the head trips.

"I don't even know if I can do something like that, Ambrose. Usually when I touch you, it's _your_ mind that we go into."

Ambrose stood up to his full height, a grin breaking through the serious demeanor of before. He moved to sit down on the bed beside her, guiding the palm of her hand to his cheek.

"I got that all figured out. I think. Just... follow my lead, okay?"

When DG nodded her head, Ambrose moved in for a kiss. Brushing his lips over hers, he brought his hands to her hips, tongue gently slipping into her mouth, tasting the remnants of the wine she had with her dinner. DG closed her eyes with a moaning, shifting closer to his body, pressing into Ambrose as the kiss deepened.

Light erupted blindingly behind her lids and DG felt them falling down, down into her mind.

Nine year old DG rushed down the stairs Christmas morning, overjoyed to discover if Santa had left anything for her under the tree. She gasped in awe as she saw that the cookies she and her mother had baked for Santa were gone, the glass of milk halfway gone. Heart racing in her chest, she darted toward the tree, counting her take as she heard her parents coming into the living room. Jumping to her feet, she hugged them both tightly, telling them she loved them both very much.

She was under the chassis of car, listening intently to her father as he explained how to repair a gas line properly, without severing the line or mucking up anything else in the process.

Rocking gently in her father's lap, dozing to the sound of his voice as he spun a long yarn about Milltown.

Standing in front of a pet store window, face smooshed against the glass, begging her mother to buy her one of the numerous puppies on display.

Standing up in class, her knees shaking from nervousness she read her report on William Henry Harrison, praying to God that Kristy and her gang of friends wouldn't tease her later on the playground for being a gawky dweeb.

Hiding out underneath the bleachers with a group of kids as they passed around a joint, hating the way it burned her lungs, making her eyes water with each cough.

Getting drunk behind the skating rink with those same friends and going around the parking lot to each car, letting the air out of the tires.

Slipping into the pale blue dress she had specially made for the winter formal, her mother looking at her in the mirror with a grin on her face while trying to hold back her tears. Ignoring the whispered barbs coming from Kristy and her group of friends when she arrived at the dance with Justin, her date. He had almost fainted when she asked him to the dance, but managed to keep conscious long enough to accept her invitation, and DG knew that the hushed tones she heard were making fun of her for bringing a nerd.

Making out in the backseat of Justin's car, his nervous hands fumbling with the straps of her dress and bra.

Taking her brand new bike out for a spin on the dirt roads, hair whipping around her face, the feeling of absolute freedom washing over her.

Getting suspended for beating up Kristy in the school parking lot when the girl had accused DG of being a slut. Pride bursting in her heart when her father pulled her aside later on, looking over her busted knuckles while asking if she'd won.

Walking across the stage to receive her diploma, smiling brightly as her parents snapped photos, waving excitedly to her from the audience.

Screaming at her parents when they refused to let her go to an out of state university, telling them she hated them for keeping her trapped in this one-horse town.

Overcome with exhaustion as she closed down the diner after the last customer had left, wondering if the grease would ever come out of her hair.

Running through the wheat fields, tears streaming down her face in anger from another argument with her mother about going away to school.

Sitting under the old willow tree, swinging idly while she drew the images from the dreams that had started coming to her every night.

Walking into the police station to pay off her fourth ticket, wanting so much to slap the condescending smirk off Gulch's face.

Pawing at Justin, now much older, though no less geekier, as he kissed his way down her chest, praying the prep table in the diner’s kitchen would be sturdy enough to hold them both.

Desperate to hide that _particular_ memory from Ambrose, DG all but forced them back into reality.

Gasping at the abrupt end to the journey, Ambrose became painfully aware that at some point during their jaunt, he had pushed DG down into the bed, stretching his lanky frame over hers, his knee firmly ensconced between her legs. DG gazed up into his eyes, fear and shame evident on her face. Knowing he had to say something, to allay the fears he’d sensed just below the surface of her thoughts, he reached up to twirl a strand of her dark hair around a digit.

"Who's Santa?"

Bursting into laughter at the ridiculous question, far and away what she’d expected him to ask of her, DG’s fears began to subside, and she realized that even knowing her past, he wasn't planning on going anywhere. Ambrose obviously had no intention of storming out after what he saw, though honestly, she couldn’t understand why she’d thought that of him in the first place. She supposed that no one had a harsher judge than themselves and true friends didn’t judge each other for their past.

Hell, Cain had thought Glitch a criminal when they’d first met, yet DG had stood up for him against the claims, choosing to see the best in him, despite what he might or might not have done. It seemed he was doing the same for her in return. An even trade, indeed.

Fingers trailing under Ambrose’s shirt to gently trace the curve of his spine, she wondered how best to answer the question. "Children on the Other Side believe that a fat old man dressed in a red suit travels around the world with his magic reindeer, to break into people's homes and deliver presents, made by elves at his secret lair, to all the good boys and girls."

DG could see that he had a million more questions about this Santa person, and he opened his mouth to start asking, but there were other pressing matters at hand. Lifting a finger to Ambrose’s lips, DG stopped him before he could start. He furrowed his brow quixotically, not understand what he’d done.

"I just... you don't think I'm a bad person, after seeing all that? Or a woman with loose morals, do you? Because drugs and alcohol played a big part in my formative years, and I was always the weird kid at school, so I tended to act out a lot. And all kids get into fights with their parents, it's not like I was this bad seed or anything. I did real well in school, despite the fact that I got into about a dozen fights."

Recognizing a rant when he heard one, Ambrose decided to hush DG with another kiss.

Finally becoming aware of what position Ambrose had her in, DG tensed up when he ran a sweeping thumb over her breast, feeling the radiant warmth of his hand, even through her bra. Over the past several weeks, she’d known their budding relationship would eventually lead to this, but a part of her still wondered if Ambrose was making his move now, after seeing her past dalliances.

Feeling DG go still beneath him, Ambrose pulled back to peer down at her with questioning eyes. Sensing her hesitation, he drew her hand to his lips, slowly kissing each delicate finger, before flipping her hand over to kiss her palm, saying without words that he wanted more than to just be with her, but to love her, as he’d always loved her.

Looking DG square in the eye, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you trust me, princess?"

She paused for a moment, then nodded her head once. Ambrose, for as brilliant as he was, hadn’t a devious, unkind bone in his body. In all the time she’d known him, both now and as a child, he’d never been anything but honest with her, had never given her reason to distrust him, or his intentions. With the barest hint of a smile on her lips, DG tilted her head up, mouth next to his ear.

" _Yes_."

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Ambrose bent down to place a featherlight kiss on DG's brow, telling her he'd be back after he changed into some clean clothes, not that she was fully conscious enough to do anything more than murmur an acknowledgment.

Climbing off the bed, careful not to disturb her, he glanced back at her one more time, smiling as she buried her face in the pillow he’d been sleeping on only moments ago. Making his way out of the room, he closing the door softly behind him, and Ambrose turned around, only to come face to face with Wyatt Cain.

Glitch squeaked and fell back into the door with a thump, slumping gracelessly to the floor.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Cain picked Glitch up by his shoulders and dusted him off, then motioned for him to continue on to his room. Falling into step beside him, they walked through the palace, Cain peering over at Glitch from the corner of his eye. Feeling the gaze burn into his skull, panic began building up inside Glitch, and all he wanted to do was to run as far away from the scary tin man as he could.

"I hope you intend on making an honest woman out of DG, Glitch."

Snapping his head around to stare wide-eyed at Cain, Glitch's mouth dropped open in shock. He stopped dead in his tracks, spluttering loudly. "How is it possible for you to _know_ about these things? I almost _never_ see you around the palace!"

Cain just gave the adviser a knowing smile, but didn’t answering the question. Instead, he continued walking on, the grin still plastered on his face as he left a speechless Glitch behind him.

"I'm sure her parents will be just _thrilled_ to have you as a son-in-law."


	4. I Will Come To You

Raw made his way up the palace steps, anxious to see his friends after the long, arduous journey to his homelands. Weary to the bone from his travels, he just wanted to have hearty meal around a roaring campfire with his former traveling companions. With the comforts of the palace around them, they’d likely rather sit around a table, but as long as they were together, Raw would be happy.

As the main doors were opened for him, his senses tingled in apprehension, seconds before DG's voice hit his ears. He came upon her standing in the middle of the foyer, Azkadellia behind her with a hand on DG’s shoulder, face red with anger while she yelled at a member of the palace's guard detail.

"I don't _care_ how many times you've checked,” DG exclaimed, “I want you to _find_ him!"

The guard nodded emphatically and bowed to her nervously before rushing away, head ducked low from the dressing down he'd just received.

Raw stood in the foyer silently as Azkadellia moved around to face her sister, murmuring something to her, but DG just shrugged her off. Raw needed no other sense than his eyes to see that she was trying to hold back her tears. Inhaling deeply, he let the emotions in the room wash over him, trying to ascertain what was wrong. Fear, heartbreak, worry, and shame rolled off of DG in waves, unease bleeding from Azkadellia, though she tried to keep a calm exterior.

Approaching them both with no small amount of trepidation, his stance open and accepting of her, DG still whipped her ahead around angrily, as if expecting more ill news.

Now face to face with the princess, Raw watched as the anger fell away, leaving behind the unmasked pain in her red-rimmed eyes. Clapping eyes on her friend for the first time in what felt like ages, DG unabashedly rushed into his arms, openly weeping.

The contact with her sent a flood of vague images and emotions to his mind's eye. Raw hugged her tighter, wishing he could lend her some of his strength against the tide rising inside of her. "DG afraid, heart breaking."

He felt DG nod against his chest and over her head, he saw Azkadellia motion to a room off the main hallway. Taking as much of her weight as he could, Raw led DG into the secluded parlor, gently setting her down on a divan. Azkadellia shut the doors behind them, and then crisply crossed the floor to join Raw by her sister. The unease intensified, Raw sensing that Az was struggling to remember what it was like to be emotionally supportive, after so many years devoid of any, if not all, emotions.

He nodded to Azkadellia, signaling that he was there to help guide her along. Offering him the tiniest of smiles in return, Az sat down beside DG on the divan, lifting a hand to stroke her hair softly. Raw positioned himself in front of them on an ottoman.

"Tell him what happened." Az cajoled gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her sister's ear.

DG sniffled quietly, gathering up her knees to her body as she leaned against her sister. Raw could sense her embarrassment even before he saw her cheeks turn a rosy color.

"I- I spent the night with Ambrose. And when he left my room yesterday morning, he said that he'd be right back, but he never returned. I thought he had just Glitch'd out and forgotten what he was doing, like he usually did. But when the sun went down and I hadn’t seen him all day, I got worried. I went looking for him, but couldn’t find him anywhere.”

Fresh tears rolled down her face, the wet trails on her cheeks shimmering in the dim lighting of the room. "When I had the guard detail search the grounds, they all came back and said he was _gone_... He _left_ me."

Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, DG squeezed her eyes shut, mouth opening in a silent sob. Azkadellia whispered soft, consolatory words to her, to no avail. She only cried harder.

Raw took DG's hands in his own, staring hard at her palms, trying to decipher the images in his head. "Raw see Glitch, see him put in a corner. Afraid, Glitch is."

DG perked up at Raw's words, the first news she’d heard of him in two days. "Ambrose is afraid of me? But… but that doesn't make any sense."

Gripping DG's hands tighter, Raw attempted to sift through all the jumbled sensations swirling through him. "Not afraid of DG. _Love_ DG. Both do. Afraid of the words. Trapped by the words." Raw felt DG's confusion swim to the surface as he struggled to read the cryptic images.

"Words of _tin_."

DG narrowed her eyes to slits. In a flash, Raw felt the anger consume the princess like fire, drowning out all the other emotions she was experiencing. And then, as if on cue, there was a soft knock at the door.

Seconds later, Cain peeked his head into the room. He opened his mouth to speak, but in a blur of movement, DG had jumped up from the divan, tearing across the room, to grab Cain by the lapels of his jacket.

Thrown off balance, Cain stumbled on his feet as DG yanked him into the parlor. Releasing her hold in him, DG jammed a finger like a gun in his face.

" _What did you do_?" She hissed in a near murderous rage.

Absolutely stunned by DG's aggressive actions, all Cain could do was stand their wordlessly, mouth agape, looking to Raw and Azkadellia for some sort of assistance.

A sharp jab to his chest quickly brought his attention back to DG. He raised his hands in the air innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about, kiddo! I just got back from training the new guard cadets. What happened, are you all right?"

DG advanced on Cain, who for the first time in his life, stepped back in apprehension, completely blindsided by his friend's ferocity. He thought that if DG's eyes burned through him any harder, he might actually catch fire.

"Ambrose is missing and apparently, it's because of _you_! So I wanna know what you did! _Now_."

A soft glow began to emanate from DG's hand, and Cain gulped anxiously. " _Nothing_! Last time I saw the head case was the other morning, when he was leaving your room."

Raw had to leap up from the ottoman, radiating calm as he placed his hands on DG's shoulders to keep her from lunging at the tin man and strangling the life out of him.

"That's funny, considering that was the last time anyone laid eyes on him! What did you say to him, Cain?"

Staring at the light coming from DG's palm, which was getting brighter the angrier she got, Cain quickly thought back to what he had said that particular morning. "I ran into him outside your room. We exchanged a few words and I made a joke about your parents being his in-laws, and then I walked away. That was _it_ , I _swear_ , princess."

DG stretched up on her tiptoes until she was a hairsbreadth away from his face. "Did you joke with Ambrose or with Glitch?"

Her voice managed to send shivers down his spine and if he lived to see the next day, he swore he would forever look at the princess in an entirely different light. _Hell hath no fury, indeed_.

"... Glitch." He said, trying to keep his vocal chords from cracking.

Her extended finger barely brushed his chest but the force she expelled was enough to send crashing back into the door with a thump. Breath knocked from his lungs, Cain stood speechless as DG storm out of the room without a second glance, Azkadellia and Raw trailing behind her.

Raw turned back briefly to send him an apologetic look, before leaving Cain was alone in the parlor with his wounded pride.

 

* * *

 

Glitch wandered around the streets of Central City, literally and figuratively going out of his mind. He could feel his other personality trying to claw his way to the forefront, attempting to regain control once more, but every time he thought about what Cain had said, the fear would drive a spike through his mind and heart, keeping Ambrose forcibly tucked away.

The downside to this method of dealing with his problems was Glitch kept feeling sharp pains radiate throughout his skull, like his brain was threatening to burst out of his zipper.

Bringing up a hand to make sure said zipper was tightly closed, Glitch thought that if he was going to run away, he should have changed into some less conspicuous clothes. The uniform of the Crown made him stick out like a sore thumb in the crowded streets. People stared after him as he passed by, and after a while, it started to grind his frayed, damaged nerves.

Ducking into a secluded dance hall at the end of some narrow alley, Glitch gave silent thanks that it was the middle of the day, leaving the place relatively empty. Quickly sitting down at a table in the far back corner, Glitch began banging his head on the hard wooden surface, wondering, not for the first time, how the smartest man in all the O.Z. could be so stupid to be scared of the parents of the woman he loved.

Oh, yeah, one of them just _happened_ to be the highest form of authority in the land, not to mention one of the most formidable of the Slippers, waning powers or not. The other was as overprotective as any father would be of his daughter, and would probably take great joy in dropping him from high up in his flying balloon.

The mental image of him falling from such a distance scared him even more, further quelling the desperate attempts of his other half to take control. Scraping his fingernails over the tabletop, Glitch sighed morosely.

"What am I going to do?"

"Question: Attempts to look ahead at one's path. Answer: One man cannot walk down two roads."

Glitch's head shot up at the familiar voice and was shocked to find Airofday towering above him, looking less like the exotic fortune teller from the Realm of the Unwanted and more like a gaudily dressed charlatan.

Her once platinum locks were now the color of dirty snow, her makeup was heavily applied, yet not as becoming as it once was. When she blinked, Glitch could see the glitter of the false eyes painted on her lids. Apparently, once the reign of terror of the Longcoats was over, she had been released from their prisons, though it looked like she had not been treated kindly in their hands, no matter the small amount of time she’d spent there.

When he made no move to offer her a seat, she pulled out the chair, sitting down beside him with a huff of air, as though it greatly tasked her to be near him.

Taking a quick glance around the rest of the hall, he leaned over to the medium, hissing sharply. "How _dare_ you come over and talk to me like we’re old chums, after you betrayed us! How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!"

Like a serpent, Airofday was suddenly in his face, long hair spilling out over the edges of the table and brushing against his legs. The sharp motion shut him up and he sat back in his chair, startled.

"Usually when men yell at me, they buy me a drink first. It would be rude for you not to, if you wish to continue on like that."

Anxious to get the woman away from him, he dug around in his pockets, praying he had some coin on him. Fingers brushing inside the hidden pocket of his jacket lining, he pulled out two platinum with a look of pleasant surprise, and immediately handed them to Airofday. It was a small price to pay for some peace and quiet.

Smiling, she flicked her lids down, the painted eyes stared unseeingly into Glitch. He shivered, a little creeped out by it. Standing up, Airofday made her way over to the bar, leaving Glitch alone to berate himself for not just leaving the dance hall, so as not to be further subjected to the woman who had turned him and his friends over to the Longcoats without a second thought.

Returning with two glasses filled with a clear liquid, she handed one to Glitch before sitting back down, crossing her legs with practiced ease, giving Glitch a healthy view of tanned skin under her wispy skirts. He rolled his eyes at her for even trying her game on him.

Shrugging laconically, she took a dainty sip from her glass, gazing over the rim at Glitch. She then motioned with her hands. "You may continue with your yelling now."

Forgetting what he had even been talking about, he rubbed his thumbs over the glass, as if simply holding the thing would offer him knowledge or comfort. For the first time in many hours, he properly turned his thoughts to DG.

He wondered if she was worried about him, or if she was angry with him. How he left her was not exactly the smartest move in history, but Cain's seemingly harmless jest had sent him reeling, the full knowledge of what he’d done hitting him full force, and all he could think to do was run.

"When one sits in silence, it is for two reasons. One is in pleasant company, where no words are needed between either party, and the other is in troubled contemplation. And considering the situation in which we last met, I'm guessing it is not the former."

Airofday took another sip of her drink, gazing at Glitch in silent contemplation. The last time she had seen him, his appearance suggested that he had known no peace in many annuals. But now, as he sat before her, his clothing was still the official dress of the palace, though the colors were vibrant and appealing, not caked with mud or sweat, or a combination of both. His, though still twisted and sticking up around the length of the zipper adoring his head, was no longer dirty, and it appeared as though he had eaten a few decent meals, a healthy color added to his pale visage.

Glitch arched a brow at her. "Like I'm going to trust you with my troubles, doll. I may be crazy, but I'm not _insane_."

Airofday chuckled is disbelief, setting her drink on the tabletop. "Sometimes, the only one you can trust is someone who does not know you."

Glitch removed a hand from the comfort of his drink to point a stern finger at Airofday. "No, I have someone I can trust! Someone who won't betray me for a few shekels!"

Airofday smirked, placing her elbow on the back of her chair, shifting her entire posture so that it radiated amusement to any who glanced their way. "Of course you do. That's why you are sitting here talking to me instead of with this person that you trust so much."

Her words cut through him like razor wire, and Glitch could hear his overtaxed brain screaming that she was right, that he should leave this place, that he needed to be with DG. But when he saw her beautiful face in his mind, the image was accompanied by Cain's voice, driving the fear into him like a spike.

The only way to make his brain stop working overtime in turning him into a hot mess was to get his mouth moving. "It's not like I don't _want_ to be, you know? I'm not just some unwanted lump. People _love_ me. More lovable than a box full of puppies, I am! But when you do bad things, that's when people start to look at you like you're a box of monkey bats."

Glitch picked up his drink for the first time and tossed it back, downing the clear liquid in one shot. It burned as it traveled down his throat and he brought his head back down, dropping the glass on the table so hard it cracked the bottom.

"I mean, I used to watch over her as a child, for goodness sakes!"

Airofday's cool demeanor changed slightly, confused by the abrupt change in the flow of conversation. She had no clue as to what he was talking about, there being no explanation or preface to his comment.

"You thought punishments under Azka-D were bad? Just imagine what the Queen would do to me when she finds out! Even if DG manages to convince them not to hang me in the city square, I'd never be able to see her again. They took my brain out and I managed to live through it, but if they took my heart... if they took my heart, then surely I’d die."

In a rare moment of absolutely pure intentions, Airofday placed a soothing hand on Glitch's knee, gazing into his eyes with no hint of malice or trickery. "Whether you be the lowliest farmer or the Queen of the O.Z. herself, the heart wants what the heart wants, and it will not rest until it's achieved its desire. And woe betide any who stand in the way of love."

Glitch hung his head for a moment, turning over her words in his mind, and when he looked back up a moment later, Airofday could see a different sort of light shining in his eyes. Standing abruptly, he took the hand that had been resting on his knee and placed a soft kiss to her fingers.

"Thank you."

Then, like a puff of smoke, he'd vanished out the front of the dance hall, leaving Airofday at the table with a lascivious smirk on her face.

She still had it.

 

* * *

 

DG pushed down a tree branch to keep it from striking her in the head, holding it aside for Raw, Azkadellia and Tutor, but let it fly back into Cain's face before he passed. Turning like nothing had happened, she followed her friends down a little hill, trudging onward down the Old Brick Route.

Cain grumbled under his breath but didn't speak up. He could tell the kid was worried, so he held his tongue, not wanting to exacerbate the situation with explanations or apologies. He wanted to tell her that he'd honestly just been joking around with the zipperhead, but every time he tried to talk to DG, she would look away, pointedly ignore him.

It hurt that she was so mad at him, and it hurt that _he_ was the one who’d caused her so much pain to begin with, but he'd raised a child before he was locked in his tin prison, and he knew that she just needed some time to stew in her own juices before he could start mending any fences.

While DG walked ahead with Az and Tutor, Raw stayed back with Cain. It was encouraging to know that not everyone hated him, and he found the viewer's presence was somewhat calming, given the situation his mouth had gotten them into.

Up ahead, DG growled with frustration as the suns began their journey below the horizon. In an hour, it would be too dark to continue the search and she was worried that she wouldn't find Ambrose before then, leaving them to abandon their mission until daybreak.

Azkadellia threaded her fingers through DG's, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. DG appreciated from the gesture, but her heart was too heavy with dysphoria and concern for Ambrose to find any real comfort in it.

She hadn’t thought anything of it when he hadn't returned the other morning, but as the hours crawled by, her initial fears returned, making her think that he _had_ merely used her for a physical release. Those fears found purchase the longer Ambrose refused to show himself, coming to the forefront in her heart when the guards had informed her that Ambrose was well and truly missing. That anger had morphed into something else entirely, after Cain had told her what he had done. Now, all she could do was berate herself for even letting herself _think_ Ambrose had been anything other than completely honest in his intentions toward her.

More so, she blamed herself for not reassuring Ambrose against the peculiarities of their relationship, and what others thought of them. When they'd traveled to meet with the Eastern Guild, she had known that Cain had spoken threatening words to Ambrose, though he’d meant them jokingly. But instead of calling him on it, DG allowed it to pass with only a small token of protest against Cain.

She knew the Tin Man was just being protective of her with that dry sense of humor of his, but Ambrose was in a fragile mental state and she should have known better. She should have said something to him, told Cain to be more considerate toward Ambrose, that he was prone to not getting the joke, but she hadn’t. Now, her decision to not do anything more was coming back to bite her in the ass.

Coming to a halt, DG sighed in resignation. "We're never going to find him, guys. The O.Z. is just too big to guess where he might have gone." Shoulders slumped, she looked for all the world a small, lost child.

Tutor wagged a finger at DG, not content to let her give up, not when he could use this as a teachable moment, on more than one level. "Perhaps we shouldn’t give in too easily, not when there are other means available to us. Let me ask you this, DG. When you were exploring Ambrose's memories, did you also not touch him with your magic?”

DG nodded slowly, knitting her brow in confusion.

"Then you may be able to locate him, in much the same way the witch found Ahamo."

DG's eyes widened in shock, mostly at not thinking of that sooner, and she looked like she might hug Tutor. "Toto, that's a great idea! ... But I’m not sure if I could do that."

Placing both hands on DG's shoulders gently, Tutor took in a deep breath, motioning for her to do the same. "Close your eyes and _focus_. Silence everything around you and bring your mind to only the feel of your magic. Everyone has a distinct energy aura about them and you imbued Ambrose with a portion of yours. Focus on the unique signature of your core power."

With deep, measured breaths, DG stilled. She closed her eyes, and after a few moments of intense concentration, a faint light took shape around her.

"Excellent, DG. Now, extend your senses outward and look for that same energy in all the O.Z. Every creature, every plant, every person. Seek out the light and you will find it."

Raw could feel DG's consciousness extend outward from her body as she sought Ambrose. The light emanating from her glowed even brighter, illuminating them all as the suns disappeared from the sky.

" _I found it_." Her voice was the merest whisper.

Tutor smiled proudly. "Now that you've found the energy, pinpoint the location and that's where we will find him."

Nodding, she took in another deep breath and focused with all her might. Cain noticed DG's hand beginning to slowly rise up from her side, hesitating at first, before she pointed a finger toward the west.

Eyes flying open, facing splitting into a wide grin, DG took off, running full tilt toward where she’d sensed Ambrose. Cain and Raw were hot on her trail, Azkadellia jogged slowly with her arm around Tutor, who wasn't quite the sprinter his other form was.

As the suns finally set, the group ran down the winding cobbled path, trying not to stumble and trip as the twilight sky darkened.

DG felt her lungs begin to burn with exertion, and she searched down inside herself for an extra burst of adrenaline. Behind her, she heard Raw and Cain's harsh panting, the soft clatter of Azkadellia and Tutor's steps behind them. When she had reached out for that familiar energy, it was like an internal radar system. Sweeping the area, she felt a ping only a few spans down the Brick Route. The road curved before her and recalling her limited term on the middle school track team, she adjusted her speed and angle to take the bend properly.

Just down road, DG spied a figure against the black of the woods. Speeding up, her shoes thudded against the bricks, the sweat from the nape of her neck dripping down her back as the figure came closer. As she got into range of them, a burst of bright light radiated from her chest, a similar light responding from the figure.

"Ambrose!"

Taking a running leap, DG jumped on him, knocking him down to the ground. He let out a loud shout of surprise at the tackle, but it was quickly muffled by DG's insistent lips. Grabbing him forcefully by the jacket lapels, she pulled him closer, tongue pushing further into his mouth and all Ambrose could do was bury his hands in DG's flowing locks, returning the kiss with equal fervor.

When Tutor and Azkadellia finally caught up, Az could only laugh at the sight of her sister trying to crawl into Ambrose's skin as they laid in the middle of the road. Tutor and Cain decidedly looked away out of respect, though Raw looked on, feeling the pure happiness and love burning between them.

After a few moments, Tutor politely cleared his throat, but when the pair refused to release each other, he raised the volume so they’d get the hint.

Prying herself off Ambrose, DG was glad the darkness provided cover for her blushing cheeks. Standing up carefully, she leaned down to tug Ambrose to his feet, helping him dust off the dirt on his jacket and pants. She then reared an arm back to punch Ambrose in the chest.

"Ow, that really hurt!" Rubbing the spot where she’d hit him, Ambrose stared at her in surprise.

"That's what you get for being an idiot! How _dare_ you just run off without saying anything to me!" DG hung her head sadly, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "I thought you’d left me."

Shaking his head, he swept DG into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple as he hugged her close.

"I could never do such a thing... Well, actually I did, but my not so better half was in control, thanks to _someone's_ interference." Ambrose craned his head around to stare pointedly at Cain.

"What?” Cain said defensively. “It's not like I knew you were going to flip out over a little joke. I thought you were made of tougher stuff, zipperhead."

DG turned in Ambrose's arms to glare at Cain, who ducked his head under the guise of shifting his hat.

"Sorry. I should have known better."

Ambrose knew that the simplistic apology was sincere and that it would be the best he’d get from the stoic Tin Man. Nodding to Cain in acceptance, Ambrose turned back to DG.

"But as misguided as my fears were, there was some truth to them. DG, I care for you deeply, but I'm just an adviser and politically speaking, you're a tad out of my league. And the thought of losing you because of that scared me. Thankfully, someone put me on the right path and made me understand that things like stations and political rankings shouldn’t matter, not when it comes to the heart... your mother fell in love with a man from the Other Side, over an entire court of suitors seeking her hand, and I don't have to fear that she'll forbid you from doing the same." Glitch floated to the surface for a moment. "Not that I'm from the Other Side, I just mean... you know what I mean. Do you know what I mean? Because I do."

Tears in her eyes, DG stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. She didn't care if their positions in life made them unsuitable for each other. She was head over heels for the crazy fool and that was all that mattered.

Ambrose smiled softly at her. "Do you think you can forgive this old head case, for not realizing it sooner?"

DG peered up at Ambrose with shining, wide blue eyes. "Of course I can forgive you. But you’re going to owe me _big time_ for scaring me like that."

 

* * *

 

 

The doors to the grand entrance hall opened wide to let the group in, and messenger quickly ran off to inform the Queen of their return. The warmth of the palace seeped into their skin, chilled to the bone by the cool night air, and Azkadellia turned to one of the attendants that had flittered into the hallway. She asked him to prepare a fire for them, as well as some hot spiced tea.

DG wanted to tell her sister that all she wanted was to go to bed, but at that moment, her mother and father came down the stairs, relief evident on their faces.

Before any words could be exchanged though, Ambrose met them at the landing, bowing his head respectfully to them both.

"Your Highness, I beg you to please forgive my rash actions. I hope they have not made you think less of me."

The Queen placed a hand to her chest, peering at her most loyal adviser and companion in surprise that he even had to ask. "Of course not, old friend. Everyone is allowed the occasional lapse in judgment. Considering your condition, it is to be expected, though we still worried about your safety first, above all else, even appearances. Now come, you must be exhausted."

Ambrose held up a hand. "No, your Highness, there is something else I must say."

DG moved to stand beside Ambrose, twining their fingers, the light shining between them once more. The Queen raised a stunned eyebrow, though Ahamo simply tried to keep a smile from spreading across his face.

"I know it's not my place, but I care greatly for DG, and she returns my affections in kind. What can I say, we've belonged to each other for quite a long time. Whether you approve or not will not change my feelings, though I was hoping we could receive your blessings."

Absolutely speechless, the Queen glanced back and forth between her daughter and her adviser, a brilliantly glow shimmering from where their hands were connected. She turned to her husband but Ahamo merely shrugged his shoulders.

"If this Nebraska farmhand can find love and happiness above his station, far be it for us to deny the same to one who has dedicated himself to the throne. And I don't think DG would be too happy with us if we refused."

The Queen turned back at her daughter, recognizing that determined look on her face, the expression so familiar, as it had been since she was a child. Thinking back, she couldn't believe she hadn't seen if before, the way young DG had been so smitten with Ambrose, and vice-versa. They had always made quite the match, but she never in a million years would have suspected it would become a love match.

Smiling broadly, the Queen opened her arms and DG rushed into them to hug her mother tightly. "Of course you will have my blessing, my dear." She’d never been able to deny her children anything, and matters of the heart were no different.

While the women embraced, Ambrose ambled over to Ahamo, who stuck out his hand warmly. Ambrose reached out to shake his hand, almost proud of himself for his bravery. Ahamo smiled at him, before jerking Ambrose closer, a playfully devious glimmer in his eyes.

"And you thought Mr. Cain was your biggest concern..."

Ambrose gulped but managed to keep his composure intact this time, forcing out a good natured chuckle.

_What am I get myself into?_

**Author's Note:**

> I tried real hard to keep the creep factor down on the fact that an adult was kinda head over heels for a child.


End file.
